Steam-muffler



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. S. HILDEBRANDT. STEAM MUFFLER.

Patented Feb. 25. 18901 at a R LE 1 IF l p ll D I J M x "m 'lllu,lmnmllln, I! my (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2. E. S. HILDEBRANDT.

STEAM MUFFLER.

No. 422,213. Patented Feb. 25, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVIN S. HILDEBRANDT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDSTO WILLIAM M. OLEMENTS, OF SUMMIT POINT, VEST VIR- GINIA, AND FRANKLINM. IIILDEBRANDT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

STEAM-MUFFLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,213, dated February25, 1890.

Application filed June 19, 1889. Serial No. 314,789. (No model.)

To all whom it ma concern.-

Be it known that I, DWIN S. HILDEBRANDT, of the city of Baltimore andState of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in SteamMufflers,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to prevent the disagreeable sounds whichare produced by steam escaping from the safety or blow- I off valves oflocomotive and other high-pressure boilers, and particularlylocomotive-boil ers, and this without producinga back-pressure or givingrise to other objectionable conditions. i

In carrying my invention into efiect I propose to surround the valve orvalves with a closed chamber of suitable size to permit a considerableexpansion of steam as it escapes. In this chamber I propose to use oneor more metallic baflie-plates of slotted or other appropriate form,these plates servin g the threefold purpose of checking the velocity ofthe steam, of subdividing the steam, and of effecting a greater or lesscondensation. From 2 5 the expansion-chamber the steam is deliveredthrough one or more conductors 1nto a condensenwhence the remainingpower, if any, is discharged, preferably into the smoke-box or into thebase of the smoke-stack. The

condenser is preferably in the form of a box having a steam-inlet at thetop, a perforated plate through which the steam descends, and a body ofwater in the bottom 1n such position that jets of steam flowing through3 5 the plate impinge upon the surface of the water.

The details may be variously modified, as will be apparent to theskilled mechanic after reading this specification; but I have repre- 40sented in the drawings a construction which I prefer and which is now insuccessful use.

As the boiler and its attachments may all be of ordinary constructionand form no part of my invention, I have confined my drawings to suchparts as are necessary to an understanding of the improvement. I

In the accompanying drawings, Flgure 1. 1s a side elevation of theforward portion of a locomotive -boiler having my improvement appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse ver-- 5o tical section on the line w xof Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the liney y of 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the top plate of the steam-domewith the valve-seats therein. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of thebattle-plates. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the condenser with the top plateremoved to expose the internal construction.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the steam-dome on the top of asteam-boiler, as usual. The top of the dome is formed by a plate a,having therein the throats a and a to receive the safety-valves, ofwhich there are usually two, one with an ordinary springvalve and theother with a so-called popvalve. There may be one or more valves, aspreferred, and they may be of any form and construction desired, myinvention having no relation thereto. On the top of the dome I providethe chamber B, which completely 7o incloses or surrounds the valve inorder to receive the steam escaping therethrough. This chamber, whichmay be constructed in any suitable manner, I make of large size inrelation to the valve-seats, in order that the steam may expand to avery considerable degree therein. In the form shown the chamber consistsof the lower part b, bolted on top of the dome, and the top part b,flanged and bolted to flanges on the lower member. In the upper part ofthe chamber 1 mount baffleplates 0 O two or more in number. I prefer toform each plate with a series of parallel vertical slots therethrough,as shown in Fig. 5, and to arrange them horizontally with the slotslying across each other. As regards the battle, the only essentialrequirement is that it shall present an extensive surface and compel thesteam to pursue an indirect course therethrough, in order that the flowmay be checked or retarded, and it is to be understood that anyconstruction or arrangement of metal or other materials which answersthis purpose is to be considered in my com bination as the equivalent ofthe slotted tering through a pipe D, with the condenser E located in anyconvenient position, preferably, as shown, at one side of the boiler.

From the condenser a pipe E extends to the smoke-stack or smoke-box, asshown in Fig. 1. The condenser, as shown, consists of a rectangularcast-metal box adapted to contain a body of water f, and provided abovethe water-level with a perforated, preferably inclined, plate f. Thesteam entering through the pipe D is subdivided by the perforated plateand the resulting jets are directed downward upon'the surface of thewater, the eifect being to condense the whole or practically the wholeof the steam. The remaining vapor, if any, will have but slightpressure, but will escape through the pipe F to the smoke-box, whence itwill be delivered with the exhaust to the stack.

An overflow-pipe G serves to maintain the water-level in the condenser,but permits the surplus water to escape. A pipe H, leading to a pump orother source of water-supply, enables the condensing-water to be renewedfrom time to time, as may be required, in order to maintain it at asuitable temperature.

The operation is as follows: The high-pressure steam escaping throughthe safety-valve expands within the chamb erB, its velocity and thepressure being greatly diminished. This diminution in pressure iseifccted in part by the action of the baffle-plates, and is due in partto the expansion. The plates also act to condense a portion, the waterof condensation escaping through a pipe I or other suitable outlet. Theexpanded lowpressure steam escaping from the top of theexpansion-chamber E passes into the top of the condenser, where theremaining condensation is effected.

If desired, there may be duplicate condensers located at opposite sidesof the dome and connected, as above described, with the expansiomchamberand the stack.

\Vhile it is preferred to employ a condenser,

great advantages are found to attend the use of the expansion-chamber,or the expansionchamber and the battle-plates therein, in the absence ofa condenser.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith a safety or similar steam-discharging valve, a closedexpansionchamber inclosin g the same, a discharge-pipe leading from saidchamber, and battle-plates located in the chamber between the valve andsaid discharge-pipe.

2. In combination with a steam-discharge valve, an expansion-chamberinclosing the same, a baffle-plate in said chamber, and a condenserconnected with said chamber, whereby the steam is first expanded andreduced in velocity and thereafter introduced into the condenser.

3. In combination with a steam-discharging valve, a chamber inclosingthe same, a baffleplate in said chamber, a condensing-chamber connectedwith the expansion-chamber and having a body of condensing-water in itsbase, and a perforated plate located in said condensing-chamber todivide the body of steam before it reaches the water.

t. In combination with a steam-discharging valve, an expansion-chamberinclosing the same, a bathe-plate located in said chamber, a pipeleading from said chamber, a condensing-chamber into which said pipedelivers and in which there is a body of water, aperforated platelocated between the steam-inlet and the water, and a pipe leading from apoint between the water-level and said plate to the smoke-stack.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 22d day of May, 1889,in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

EDWIN S. I-IILDEBRANDT. lVitnesses:

F. M. IIILDEBRANDT, W. R. KENNEDY.

